I took some video footage of my technique while doing the 6 x 750m workout from CrossFit Endurance. I was tired and figured that was the reason I was struggling to hit my target splits. Then I looked at the video and understood that I was shedding seconds with my technique! Good to catch it early in the winter season, but it is always humbling to break down your stroke. I hope my mistakes will be instructive for others.

Hmmmm…I’m usually a big fan of CrossFit Endurance, but I have to hit the buzzer on some aspects of the new CrossFit Journal video on rowing “quick fixes.” There is some really questionable rowing technique in this video. There is no stored energy, flow, ratio, or concept of length, and there is a lot of stiffness and shooting the slide.

I get the point about feet out of the straps, as that is a good drill to ensure you are maintaining force through the finish.

I get the point about rotating the hip instead of flexing the lumbar spine.

I am not an expert in deadlifting and I have a lot to learn from my CrossFit colleagues. I do know enough to say that they are related motions, but not the same. If anything, when deadlifting I want to find the shortest path for the bar, and perform the motion slowly and solidly.

In rowing I want to maximize the length of the stroke within the limits of biomechanics, and do so explosively and elastically. You can’t explode off the stretcher without activating the quadriceps at the front of the drive, and you can’t store energy elastically in the torso by keeping the rigid position you would use when deadlifting.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe the CrossFit and rowing communities can learn a lot from each other, and I’m all for being iconoclastic when the results support it. On the point of rowing technique, however, I’m going to take my advice from the best in the world:

1. Video of US Women’s double winning the world championships in 2011. It’s smooth, it’s powerful, it exudes efficiency, and most of all, it’s LONG.